Sheet-metal hinge.



PATENTED JULY 12, 1904.

C. S. VAN WAGONER. SHEET METAL HINGE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

NO MODE-L.

/M v r l flm e 2 w i w i/m No. 764,785. PATENTED JULY 12, 1904. 0. s.VAN WAGONER. SHEET METAL HINGE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13, 1902.

% W WY 05/: 1/6721? 5/ UNITED STATES Patented July 12, 1904.

PATENT OEEIcE.

CORNELIUS S. VAN VVAGONER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO THE VAN WAGONER COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ACORPORATION OF DELAIV ARE.

SHEET-METAL HINGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 764,785, dated July 12,1904.

Application filed March 13, 1902.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I,CoRNELIUs S.VAN WAGO- NER, a citizen ofthe UnitedStates, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet-MetalHinges, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the construction of the leaves of sheet-metalhinges provided with tubular knuckles; and its main object is tostrengthen and stiffen the leaves along the line of union with theknuckles to prevent the latter from being bent out of alinement, as mostfrequently occurs in the center leaves of sheet-metal double-actinghinges.

Sheet-metal hinge-leaves of the character indicated are usually formedfrom a blank cut from metal of suflieient thickness to insure requisitestrength and stiffness in the finished hinge.

By my invention I am enabled to economically produced a strong stiffsheet metal hinge and may use thinner metal in its construction than hasheretofore been employed in the manufacture of hinges of the same sizeand strength.

Briefly stated, my said invention consists in a sheet-metal hingecomprising in its construction a leaf having one or more tubularknuckles and a reinforcing-plate secured to the leaf proper and havingone or more integral flanges partially embracing said knuckle orknuckles, as will be hereinafter more particularly described.

For a detail description of my invention I will refer to theaccompanying drawings, in which Figures 1 and 2 illustrate twowell-known forms of double-acting hinges embodying my invention. Fig. 3is an end view of the leaves of the hinge illustratedin Fig. 1. Fig. 4is an end view of the leaves of the hinge illustrated in Fig. 2. Figs. 5and 6 are isometric views, re-

spectively, illustrating one of the side leaves and the center leaf ofthe hinge of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a similar view of the center leaf of thehinge illustrated in Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a similar view of a leaf designedfor a single-acting hinge embodying my invention.

Serial No. 98,030. (No model.)

Figs. 9, 10, 11, and 12 illustrate different forms of reinforcing-platesused in constructing centerleaves of double-aeting hinges embodying myinvention. Fig. 13 is an enlarged end view of the center leaf of thehinge illustrated in Fig. 1, and Figs. 14, 15, and 16 are end views ofcenter leaves of modified forms.

My invention has been devised more especially for strengthening thecenter leaf of a double-acting sheet-metal hinge and has special valuein that connectionbut it will be obvious that a single-acting hinge maybe made in accordance with my invention, and hence appropriate claimswill be made to include a hinge of that character.

In Fig. 1 I have shown a well-known form of double-acting spring-hingehaving all of its leaves constructed in accordance with my invention. InFig. 2 I show another wellknown form of double-acting hinge having thecenter leaf only constructed in accordance with my invention. In thehinge illustrated in Fig. 1 the center leaf 1 and the two side leaves 33 are each provided with tubular knuckles formed integrally with theleaf proper in a well-known manner. The side leaves 3 3 are formed froman appropriatelyshaped sheet-metal blank, which is bent upon itself toprovide a double thickness of metal in the body of the leaf and a singlethickness of metal in the knuckles, the latter being formed in the bendor fold of. the metal from strips which connect those portions of theblank which constitute the body portion of the finished leaf. On oneside of the body portion of the leaf I attach in any suitable manner areinforcing-plate 7, which is best shown in Fig. 3. Said plate ispreferably large enough to completely cover one side of the body portionof the leaf, and adjacent to the knuckles 2 said plate is provided withintegral flanges 8, which conform to the curvature of the knuckles andpartially embrace the same to serve as braces against such strains aswould tend to bend the metal of the leaf along the line of union withthe knuckles. The metal comprising the knuckles is not required to be asthick as the metal in the body portion of the leaf, and it will bereadily seen that in the construction described comparatively thin metalmay be used for the blank from which the leaf is initially formed andthat sufficient strength will be afforded by the rinforcingplate at thepoints where strength and stiffness are required and also that with agiven thickness of metal a much stronger and stiffer leaf will resultfrom my improved construction than is possible in the priorconstructions now most commonly adopted.

The center leaf 1 of the hinge illustrated in Fig. 1 is initially formedfrom two sheet-metal blanks, which are shaped and bent substantiallylike the blank from which the side leaf 3, just described, is formed.Each of said blanks forms one-half of the center leaf, and each of thesaid halves is substantially like the side leaf referred to, except thatthe body portion thereof is only equal in width to onehalf the Width ofthe finished center leaf. These two halves of the center leaf are placedtogether with the inner edges abutting against each other and aresecured together by means of the two reinforcing-plates 4 4, one on eachside of the leaf, as shown in Figs. 3, 6, and 13. Said plates are madethe exact size of the body portion of the leaf, and at their edgesadjacent to the knuckles 2 said plates are provided with integralflanges 5, which partially embrace the knuckles for stiffening andstrengthening the line of union between the knuckles and the leaf, aswill be readily understood. One of the reinforcing-plates for this styleof leaf is shown detached in Fig. 9. Said plates are secured to the twohalves of the center leaf by means of rivets or in any other suitablemanner, and in the manufacture of a certainclass of hinges I make thereinforcing-plates slightly longer than the hingeleaf and bend the edgesover, as shown at 9 in Fig. 10, for the purpose of concealing the edgesof the metal at the ends of the leaf, as will be readily understood.

The side leaves 3 3 of the hinge illustrated in Fig. 2 are as heretoforeconstructed. The center leaf 1 of said hinge is in all essentialrespects like the center leaf just described, except that its knuckles 22 extend the full length of the leaf and serve in the finished hinge asspring-retaining barrels. plates 4 4 of this leaf (see Figs. 4, 7, and11) are in the form of channel-beams, and consequently afford greatstrength and stiffness to the body portions of the leaf, besidesserving, by means of the flanges 5 5, to brace the knuckles againsttorsional strains. The reinforcing-plates of this leaf may also havetheir ends bent over, as shown at 9 in Fig. 12, for the purpose ofconcealing the edges of the metal of the body portions of the leaf.

In Fig. 8 I have illustrated a leaf which may be used in a single-actinghinge or may serve as a side leaf for a double-acting hinge.

The reinforcingof said plates being secured together back to back andthe flanges 5 5 of said plates affording surfaces for brazing orotherwise securing the knuckles 2 2 thereto, as clearly shown. While Ido not consider this form of construction equal in strength to the formspreviously described, it may be advantageously employed in theconstruction of brass or bronze hinges and embodies certain features ofmy invention.

In the center leaf illustrated in Fig. 15 the reinforcing-plates 4 4 areplaced between the two layers of metal in the leaf proper. This form ofconstruction is also specially adapted for brass or bronze hinges.

The center leaf illustrated in Fig. 16 is formed from a single piece ofsheet metal bent as shown and strengthened and stiffened along the lineof union with the knuckles by reinforcing-plates 4, which are merestrips of metal bent in the form of angle-irons, as clearly shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent. is-

1. A sheet-metal hinge-leaf provided with tubular knuckles comprising inits construction a plate having integral flanges which partially embracesaid knuckles, substantially as described.

2. A sheet-metal hinge comprising in its construction a leaf having oneor more tubular knuckles, and a reinforcing-plate secured to the bodyportion of the leaf and having one or more integral flanges adjacent toand partially embracing said knuckle or knuckles,

substantially as described.

3. In a double-acting hinge, a sheet-metal center leaf provided withtubular knuckles, and reinforcing-plates secured to the opposite sidesof the body portion of the leaf having integral flanges adjacent to andpartially embracing said knuckles, substantially as described.

4. A double-acting hinge comprising in its construction a center leafhaving tubular knuckles at its opposite edges, said leaf and. knucklesbeing formed from separate sheetmetal blanks, the portions thereofprojecting from the respective knuckles forming halfleaves adapted toabut each other, and reinforcing-plates secured to said leaf for unitingthe half-leaves, said plates being provided with integral flangesadjacent to said knuckles and partially embracing the same,substantially as described.

5. A hinge embodying in its construction a sheet-metal leaf havingtubular knuckles,

and a reinforcing-plate secured to the body portion of said leaf havingintegral flanges adjacent to and partially embracing said knuckles, saidplate being bent over the ends of the leaf, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specifieationin thepresence of two sub" scribing Witnesses.

CORNELIUS S. VAN WAGONER.

Witnesses:

WM. M. MONROE, GEORGE W. SHAW.

